If you’re not big on glitz and crowds, with a rental car you can drive to places of quiet repose. Twenty miles west of town, Red Rocks is a 13-mile drive through scenic vistas of incredible beauty. Not so long ago, wild burros would graze alongside the highway.

You can park at the Red Rocks Visitors Center and learn about the desert environment, then enjoy a picnic lunch at designated spots and do some hiking.

Depending on the time of year you go, Las Vegas weather can be very hot.

To escape the broiling temperatures, hie to the Mount Charleston ski resort area. I’m not sure if it still operates, but it’s a beautiful drive up to the timber line. When we got married in Las Vegas in May 1996, it was 100 degrees on the Strip — and 60 degrees atop Mt. Charleston.

Entertainment

The Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard) is a crowded, happy, raucous, and safe place. Volcanoes explode before your eyes outside the Mirage Hotel, and waters perform an original ballet at Bellagio. In addition, there’s the fun of people-watching and many free attractions nearby.

If you like nightlife, there’s no better bet. From the gravity-defying Cirque du Soleil performances (Zumanity is the sexiest) to top-name stars and the Jubilee extravaganza at Bally’s to free lounge acts all over town, you’ll be entertained to your heart’s content. Play for a little while at a table or even the slots, and it’s likely you’ll be offered a free drink.

Lodging

Where are the best hotel values? And which ones have rooms for you? Generally, the further you go from the Strip, the cheaper the rooms. Since this is your honeymoon, you’ll want to stay in a decent place, though.

Places I Wouldn’t Send Friends To

• Circus Circus - It is a circus here, attracting hordes of downscale families with kids.
• Excalibur - Rooms are inexpensive and the Middle Ages theme is cheesy at this enormous place on the far end of the Strip.

Dining

A city of vast buffets as well as high-priced restaurants, Las Vegas puts out an abundant spread for visitors. On a night you want to splurge, I recommend these:

• Pamplemousse - elegant country French, right off the Strip.
• Michael Mina’s SEABLUE at the MGM Grand - exquisite seafood.
• Wolfgang Puck’s Spago at Caesars - your chance to sample Hollywood’s favorite smoked salmon pizza.

The Bottom Line

Will you be happy with a Las Vegas honeymoon? If you like to swim outdoors in warm weather, golf, play tennis, gamble, be entertained, laugh at the goofiness of it all together, dine well, and not spend a lot of money doing it, the answer is yes.

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Barbados has two distinct types of beach. Those on the eastern shores are crashed and bashed by the Atlantic Ocean, giving a surfer’s paradise. It’s fantastic fun whether catching waves is a passion for you, or whether you prefer to watch. To the east and the south you’ll find the softer Caribbean Sea kissed beaches. These are the beaches you’ll want for that romantic hand-in-hand stroll along the water’s edge.

The Barbadians are renowned for their hospitality and vibrant festivals. At almost any time of the year you’ll find this island is celebrating something. A celebration is an exotic, colourful and joyful affair. You’ll find all of this amazing island’s talents in dance, drama and music on display. With the calypso heartbeat throbbing in the sultry evening air we guarantee that you’ll be dancing along with the locals in no time. Only in Barbados can you enjoy wild local entertainment during the day and then retire to a 5 star world class hotel such as Sandy Lane Barbados in the evening!

So your dreams come true we recommend that you let the experts at Holidays Please handle the details of your honeymoon. Let them do the planning so all you have to worry about is packing the sun lotion.

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While the traditional vows endure, the ways to celebrate a marriage have changed right along with the travel industry. Today’s honeymooner may be looking for value, adventure, or variety and searching for a getaway that’s as exotic as a stay in a private European castle or nearby as a local bed-and-breakfast inn.

One constant is that couples are willing to spend money on a honeymoon - an average of $1,402 per couple compared to $421 spent annually on regular trips according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Young couples, age 18 to 24 years, spend the most on honeymoons, averaging $1,873. And as many as one-third of all honeymooners spend over $2,500 for that once-in-a-lifetime trip. Multiplied by the 2.4 million newlywed couples the U.S. Census records annually, and you have a major force in the tourism industry.

The trend toward honeymoons follows the rising emphasis on traditional weddings. And while the move is back toward the traditional wedding and honeymoon associated with earlier generations, today’s newlyweds are a far cry from the travelers of earlier days. “They’re looking more for luxurious and romantic places, like the little out-of-the-way small hotels and inns and private castles,” points out Sylvie del Giudice, spokeswoman for Les Romantiques Hotels. “They’re ready for a different experience. It’s the experience of a lifetime. They are choosing to go further away on their honeymoon to a different environment and that includes everything: a different language, culture, and food.”

Today’s couples are finding new ways to celebrate their union, creating honeymoon trends that are being felt throughout the industry.

ALL-INCLUSIVE FUN

Started in Jamaica but spread throughout the Caribbean and Mexico and into some other regions as well, the all-inclusive vacation is becoming ever more popular with honeymooners - and their families. Their “one price pays all” policy makes the all-inclusive trip more and more convenient for parents purchasing a honeymoon package as a gift for newlyweds. Air, transfers, meals, drinks, watersports, and even tips are included in the tab at all-inclusive resorts.

GETTING MARRIED ON YOUR HONEYMOON
Getting married on your honeymoon is also an increasingly popular concept in the Caribbean, where resort packages provide everything from wedding cake to music. At Jamaica’s SuperClubs (http://www.superclubs.com) resorts, guests can enjoy a free wedding, including the minister’s fee and marriage license.

MEXICO AND CANADA
The devaluation of Canada and Mexico’s currencies mean an increase in honeymoon business for financial reasons. Canada is also gaining popularity as a honeymoon hotspot. Couples looking for a white honeymoon find it in ski areas such as Banff, Whistler, and Jasper, and those seeking big city culture seek out cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. The current strength of the American dollar against the Canadian also makes our northern neighbor an attractive honeymoon destination. “Canada is extremely popular as a honeymoon destination,” explains Judy Love Rondeau from the office of the Canadian Consulate General in Dallas. “Your money goes 40% further in Canada. Also, honeymooners like the cities of Montreal and Quebec City because they are like going to Paris without going so far and spending so much money.”

QUICK TRIPS
As work schedules become more and more hectic, many couples are choosing to honeymoon close to home, enjoying a long weekend at local bed-and-breakfasts and country inns. Karen Adler, publisher of the Day Trips America guidebook series, notes that, “Today often both husband and wife are working full time and if one of them has children then the cost of child care is a factor. To take a day trip for an overnight or a short weekend honeymoon makes economic sense as well as time sense.”

CITY DESTINATIONS
For some couples, a chance to enjoy the romance of a big city and the elegance of fine dining makes major cities a honeymoon destination. A recent study by the American Society of Travel Agents showed that the most popular city was Las Vegas. Orlando, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles were other top choices.

OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS
While some couples choose to vacation close to home, conserving both time and money, others see a honeymoon as a chance for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. For these travelers, it’s the time for a fantasy journey to destinations whose very names mean romance. For these lucky honeymooners, the American Society of Travel Agents has found that Great Britain is the top European destination, followed by France and Germany.

“We see more and more honeymooners going to Europe versus the Caribbean,” says Sylvie del Giudice, spokeswoman for Les Romantiques Hotels. “People are getting married older, and they’re more interested in the culture and the experience and the discovery of Europe. Or they want to go back to Europe. I deal a lot with people who went to Paris once and now want to show it to their spouse.

“They usually combine romantic cities like Paris, Florence, or Rome with a resort escape like the Riviera or Normandy or the Amalfi coast of Italy so they have the best of both worlds,” explains del Giudice. “We have also noticed that honeymooners are becoming more and more adventurous and discovering new areas.”

Looking for new European experiences is also bringing more honeymooners to less traditional destinations. Destinations like Portugal, Malta, and Turkey are gaining popularity.

ADVENTURE HONEYMOONS
The current trend toward adventure and eco-tourism vacations hasn’t overlooked the honeymoon industry. “We have seen a number of newlyweds go on dude ranch vacations as well as our other trips like the cattle drives,” says Dave Wiggins, president of Boulder, Colorado-based American Wilderness Experience. “It’s the kind of thing for couples who are looking for something inspiring, something they can come back and say ‘guess what we did on our honeymoon.’”

Although Wiggins has sold many honeymooners rugged adventure packages, ranging from a 10-day safari in Alaska to sea kayaking in Baja Mexico to river rafting along Idaho’s Salmon River, many honeymooners favor soft adventure. “The lodge-based vacations tend to be more popular with honeymooners because they have a bed and roof over their head and a hot shower,” points out Wiggins.

“We’re seeing more and more soft adventure travel so we have more deluxe lodge-based options,” points out Wiggins. Whether honeymooners overnight in a mountain cabin or in a seaside tent, however, he explains the popularity of adventure travel with today’s travelers. “At a resort there’s a lot to pick and choose, but you can find yourself being a spectator and watching the action go around. On an adventure trip, you’re smack dab in the action. There’s no sitting back and watching the action go by in front of you - you are the action on an adventure tour.”

Finding that special quality is up to the individual honeymooners themselves. With the myriad of choices and a selection of atmosphere that ranges from white-knuckle adventure to hedonistic laziness, there’s something for everybody.

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There’s something deeply romantic about couples who elope. They have made a conscious decision to avoid spiralling costs and months of planning, and want to focus solely on their commitment together. It can be a beautiful experience, but there are mistakes to be made. So if you’re planning to go it alone, make sure you tread carefully.

Give it some serious thought

There are a few key issues to address before you pack your bags and head to the chapel. Firstly, what are your reasons for eloping?  Are you committed enough to spending the rest of your lives together? Don’t rush in to a last-minute marriage only to wake up in the morning and wonder what you have done.

Secondly, you need to be aware that although running away together to tie the knot is romantic, it’s bound to upset friends and family who are going to miss the important event – so you need to be prepared for that.

There are two schools of thought regarding eloping: either keep it a secret and tell family members face-to-face on your return, or tell a few close family members beforehand that you want to keep it between you and your sweetheart. Be sensitive to their feelings and explain your reasons for eloping clearly, and promise to have a second celebration when you return.

If you want to compromise, then perhaps elope with a select few in tow. Invite a handful of friends and family to a foreign destination and have an intimate beach wedding – many hotels offer amazing wedding packages.

What will you need?

• Venue
• Hotel
• Minister
• Witnesses
• Marriage license - two weeks before marriage
• ID and social security number
• Copy of your birth certificate - this may have to be translated if you are not a citizen to the country
• Documentation proving that any previous marriages are over
• Rings!

Tips…

• Leave enough time between your flights and the marriage – delays often occur when travelling
• Don’t get married on a whim! Give it some serious thought
• Plan your honeymoon before you leave – check out our honeymoon service at http://www.ghotw.com/honeymoon/home
• Film the wedding – therefore friends and families can enjoy the event after you have returned
• Take lots of photos and create a photo album of your memories to share when you get home

Where should you go?

Lots of people elope to Las Vegas – a destination brimming with wedding chapels and churches which take on many different guises. It’s a fun location which has great access to perfect honeymoon destinations. There are plenty of other places where you can marry should you require something with a little more class – take a look at the romantic and honeymoon hotels on the Great Hotels of the World website for ideas.

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